


The Imperial Ambition

by Homicidal_Cupcakes



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Jason is a good Emperor and also slightly a puppy, Jason is the Emperor, M/M, Roman Empire AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-30
Updated: 2015-11-30
Packaged: 2018-04-28 21:25:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5106290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Homicidal_Cupcakes/pseuds/Homicidal_Cupcakes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jason Grace is the Emperor, and the Emperor gets what he wants, right?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Meeting the Emperor

**Author's Note:**

> There isn't actually any smut in this chapter, but there will be in later chapters. This chapter Jason and Percy meet each other and Jason basically is obsessed with Percy and yeah...

### Meeting the Emperor

Emperor Jason sat upon the Roman throne in the Senate room. The other Senators were talking among themselves as their session had not yet officially started. A man suddenly burst in the room. Two actually. They looked like legionnaires in their official Roman military uniforms. Between the two men was a young man being dragged along. He was obviously beaten pretty badly. His obsidian hair clung to his face with sweat, while some strands pointed in random directions.  
The guards threw him down in front of the elevated seat that Jason was on. The boy collapsed completely to the floor, obviously not having the energy to sit up. Jason spoke:

“What is this boy doing here?” He couldn’t have been more than eighteen. Maybe even younger, he really did look young. Jason noticed he was wearing a toga, it was ripped in several places and had mud, dirt, and grass stains all over it. But it wasn’t like a Roman toga, it looked more like a Greek himation. 

The man to the left kicked the black-haired Greek in the back, at which Jason frowned. He hadn’t done anything wrong to deserve that, had he? “Go on boy tell His Majesty what you’ve done!”

The Graecus finally looked up at Jason. His lip was swollen and he had a black eye. Blood was all over his face from the many cuts and scrapes, he also had a nasty nose bleed. “I stole from a market. That’s all.”

One of the guards kicked him again. “You will address the Emperor by His Majesty and nothing else! Graecus!” The guard spat on the boy.

“May I implore you not to spit on the guests of the Senate chamber? This boy doesn’t sound like he’s from here, and why are you bringing a case of thievery before your Pontiff?” 

“I apologize your majesty. This Graecus was not only stealing from a market, he was spying for his pathetic city state across the Hadriaticum.”

“So he is a Graecus then? Well, I see no reason why a foreigner would address me as his Emperor. I wouldn’t expect that you would call a Greek patrician ‘your highness’? Now. Get this poor boy a bath while I conduct Senate hearing and then maybe we can hear your testimony on how he is spying for some Graecis civitatem.” Jason dismissed the guards and called the Senate to order. At least today wasn’t going to be the same as yesterday and the past two years.

Jason had inherited the throne after the untimely and slightly suspicious death of his father, who was emperor before him. The people all called his father Jupiter, King of the Gods, but Jason never even talked to him, much less worshipped him. He was only 16 when he ascended to the throne, but all of his father’s advisors were still in place who have Jason good direction. Under his reign, two peasant revolts and a province in Illyria had been conquered. Nothing to write home about compared to his father.

Jason went through Senate procedures as he had witnessed since he was 6. His educator (his real father, as Jason called him) had taken him not only to Senate meetings, but also to Pompeii, Gallia Cisalpina, and other provinces in the Empire. But finally, Jason wanted to let off some stress. He stepped down from his throne and walked across the Senate floor until he was out of the chamber. He headed for his carriage to take him to his own bathhouse. 

As the carriage rumbled down the streets, some commoners stood and watched in awe. The one thing Jason’s father taught him was to stay away from the hoi polloi, the ‘peasant rabble’, but he had always wondered what it would be like to just be a common pleb. 

Interrupting his thoughts, the carriage stopped in front of the Imperial Bathhouse, and one of the manservants came around to help Jason out and escorted him into the building. There were two baths inside of the building, each one fairly sizable and filled with steaming hot water. Jason shed his toga and climbed into one of them. As usual nobody was in the house with him. After all, only imperial guests and the Emperor were allowed in. 

At least Jason thought he was alone, until he noticed the obsidian-haired boy come up for air, shaking his hair out quite… majestically and then open his deep green eyes and stare straight at Jason. And then he screamed. Loud.  
The boy quickly covered got out of the bath and covered himself with his himation.

“Oh… I didn’t mean to startle you, I’m sorry.” Jason smiled weakly, hoping he didn’t really scare the boy too much

“You can’t just get in a bath with someone you don’t know!”

“Well, I wouldn’t have, but I didn’t see you. I didn’t catch your name…”

“It can be kind of hard to mention your name when two gladiator idiots are spitting on you and kicking you… but my name is Perseus of Corinth, you can just call me Percy though.”

“Yeah, sorry about that. Sometimes I think I’m the only sane one in the whole Empire. My name is Emperor Jason of the Imperial House Grace, conqueror of Kingdoms, His Majesty, Pontificus Maximus, Imperator of Rome, but that can be a bit of a mouthful. Call me Jason.”

“Haha, very funny.” Percy finally relaxed and dropped his himation, getting back in the tub. His body was bruised in a few places, where his guards had kicked him. Otherwise, he had beautiful pale skin, with slightly defined abs and pecs, just below that was an impeccable V, like a giant arrow all pointing to… Jason swallowed hard.

Jason realized he had his mouth open and quickly closed it. Percy’s absinthe green eyes locked with his for a moment, almost testing Jason. The emperor matched his stare, but Percy broke the intense eye contact. The dark haired boy looked hesitantly down at his own body, picking his hand up out of the water and rubbing it over his arm, covering his chest.

“How did you end up in Rome?” Jason shattered the silence

“I don’t really know, but I wasn’t spying. That’s for sure. It was all a game of chance. The city I lived it, their patron god was Poseidon, many called me a son of Poseidon because whenever I was near the sea I was more powerful. I don’t believe that for a second, but bottom line is that they all looked up to me. One day, Athenian troops came to invade. The entire city just expected me to lead them into battle to defend our home. I was never properly trained in the military! How was I supposed to single-handedly defend a city against the most powerful Greek state? I couldn’t, but I also couldn’t live the city. Soon the Athenian troops overwhelmed the town’s defenses. The general of their army, Annabeth of house Chase, vanquished me to Rome. Of course I looked out of place, I was a Greek. I was trying to buy something in the market, when your guards came over to me and arrested me for nothing in reality. They beat me in a back alley and then sent me to you. I’m surprised you didn’t execute me immediately. I am elliniká. Or Graecus as you call it.”

Percy’s Greek accent was beautiful, and the way his words rolled off his tongue was delicious, almost like verbalized carmel. His story honestly did touch Jason, he had a false fame among his people that he really had no desire for, and the city he loved and Percy himself both payed the price for it. It was rather depressing that the only reason the guards had really brought Percy before him was to see another Greek be killed, Jason didn’t know why, but he totally and completely believed Percy’s story. Even if it wasn’t true, he wasn’t going to execute some poor guy off the streets who was just going to survive. What kind of Emperor would that make him- a proper one, his father would say- that’s not the type of person he wanted to be though.  
Right now the only right thing to do was to get Percy a really nice room in the palace and provide him with all he deserved for his troubles and then send him on his way to forge the rest of his destiny. Maybe he could return to Greece someday, to avenge the people of his city and prove their adoration rightful.

Jason looked up from his thoughts, briefly meeting Percy’s eyes before looking straight up through the partially open roof of the bathhouse to see the time. It must’ve been late afternoon. It would be time to retire for the night in a little bit. The only right thing to do would be to take Percy into the royal palace and at least repay him for the trouble Jason and his guards caused to the situation. 

“How would you like staying in the Imperial Palace for a few days? Food and drink come with the offer of the room.”

“Wow… I couldn’t. I have real life to get back to and I’m sure you have to do something. You’re the Roman Emperor after all. Aren’t you supposed to be conquering Gaul or something?”

“Oh please. Gaul has been in the fold of the Empire for years, and I insist. My guards beat you up and your story has inspired me into kindness.” Jason promptly got out of the bath, not taking no for an answer, getting his toga on, but making a bit of a show of it too. “Now, you can come with me in my carriage, or I can send one for you later if you’d care to stay in the baths for a bit longer?”

“No, no, I’ll come with you. Do you know… when we’ll be eating though? I’m really hungry…”

“I’ll get you wine and all the food you could think of when we get to the palace. Now hurry up!” 

Percy slipped out of the bathtub and got his himation on, not in any sort of sexual way, but Jason appreciated the view anyway. 

They walked out the front door of the bathhouse and entered the royal carriage. It was draped with purple cloth and had the ‘SPQR’ symbol plastered all over it. Some Romans would say it looked ‘regal and important’. To Jason, it really just looked trashy and self-important. Over the carriage ride, Jason learned some interesting little facts about Percy, including his favorite types of food and wine, and how he was almost disowned for not liking olive oil. (Apparently that’s almost a sin when you’re Greek)  
The pair’s carriage stopped in front of the colossal residence of the Roman Emperor. There were some- okay, a lot- of perks to the job, and one of those was an unreasonably huge house. Percy looked speechless at the sheer grandeur of the place. 

A manservant came to the door and opened it up, helping both Jason and Percy out of the carriage and escorting them to the front door of the palace. A man beside the door whispered into Jason’s ear, something about what was for dinner and military victories against Barbarians. 

“Shall I show you to your room?”

“Well, I would never find it on my own in this huge place, so sure.”

“Fair enough. Follow me.” Jason led him through the tall hallways of the palace, finally coming to a stop in front of a hardwood door carved with someone’s head in it. “This is your room. I’m going to rest for a little bit before dinner. If you need anything just ask the manservant that I’m putting outside your door. He’ll be more than happy to help, or guide you to me if you have any questions.


	2. Break up and Make up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Percy gets to experience the palace, and Jason seems nicer than ever, until he completely ignores Percy at dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry for not updating in forever. I promise you guys I'll get more chapters up soon. This one's been in the works for a while. Sorry if it's a little bit shorter.

### Break Up and Make Up

Percy sat alone in his room, basically just thinking the day’s events over. One minute you’re being accused of spying, and the next you’re in the Roman Imperial Palace. One thing was for sure, he was hungry. 

Percy turned around to see the new clothes waiting for him as well as a small plate of refreshments, wine, grapes, cheese, bread, and honey. He helped himself some food and then lay down for a little bit. As he looked around the room he realized the sheer size of it. There were elaborately decorated stone walls surrounding him, with an open window to the outside world which looked over a quaint Roman village and the beautiful rolling hills of Italy.

The wind coming in from the turquoise sea made the purple silk curtains gently billow. Percy thought of where he came from, he hadn’t told the entire truth to Jason, leaving out the fact that he was in fact the son of the Archon of one of the most powerful Greek City States in the region. Corinth was his home, and Percy’s inability to defend the city led to the execution of his entire house and family. Not to mention the subjugation of the city by the Athenian army. What was even more of a sin was how the battle was lost, it wasn’t because of Percy’s incompetence, in fact many would say the army and leadership was sufficient enough to beat the Athenians. The truth was that the leader of the enemy army seduced Percy, and then drugged him so he was unable to lead his army. 

Without noticing Percy had drifted off to sleep, his thoughts turned into a flashback of that fateful night in Greece, but soon he felt someone shaking him back to consciousness. He woke up to beautiful sky blue eyes staring straight into his soul. 

“Sorry for waking you up, but I didn’t want dinner to get cold.” Jason smiled apologetically. “I’ve had some time to think about it, and I’ve decided that you can stay here as long as you want. There’s no reason for you to be out there on the street when you’re of such noble blood.” Jason’s smile turned into a glare. Obviously judging Percy for not telling him the truth when he had asked about Percy’s past. 

“I-I… I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, I just didn’t want you to execute me…”

“Well you know, getting a ransom offer from the Graecus government for one of the most wanted… in fact the ONLY missing noble in the world is quite alarming when you have no idea what’s really going on. Now get up. We can talk about this over dinner.”

Percy followed Jason and two guards in silence, his head hanging in shame. He should’ve just told the truth and not worried about it. Jason was a nice enough guy and he would understand. There was no reason for Percy to lie, but he had anyway. Their group walked through grand hallways gilded in ivory, gold, platinum, and silver. The most beautiful tapestries and silk hand from hundreds of doorways and endless hallways and corridors. Finally they came to a tall wooden door, which was swung open by the guards that were standing by it.

The room that lay before them was colossal, and in the middle of it there was a massive iron dining table embellished in gold and wood. The guards peeled off from their formation and went to stand against the wall, generals and other very important people all sat in their designated place at the table, while Jason went to sit at the head. hundreds of servants ran around carrying platters of boar, venison, duck, rabbit, and other meats. A servant walked up to Percy and guided him to a chair right next to Jason’s. 

Soon food was served, but against his promise, Jason didn’t talk to Percy the whole night. Instead he talked to his generals about various military plans, speaking in Latin so fast that Percy couldn’t understand, he was fluent, yes, but still not a native speaker. 

After dinner was finished, Percy felt full of food, but there was still an unsettling feeling in his stomach. The servants opened the doors to his room and he stepped inside, almost immediately plopping down on the bed.

Up until this point he had really thought that Jason was going to take care of him and honestly take him in. It was a stupid thought. Jason was the Roman Emperor after all, what could you expect to come of it? Certainly nothing good. Especially after he'd lied straight to Jason's face.

It was stupid to expect so much from someone when you’d only just met them, but Percy swore there was something different about Jason. Maybe he was just caught up in politics or some important Emperor thing right now. Maybe Jason actually did want to take care of Percy.

As Percy thought this, the purple silk drapes swayed back and forth in the gentle breeze, which had just barely cooled off now that the sun was below the horizon. Then, there was a knock at the door.

Percy sat up, expecting to go answer the door, but it just swung open. There was Jason, standing there in his toga.

“I’m sorry I didn’t pay more attention at dinner tonight, that was my fault.” Jason said, with a certain authority in his voice.

Percy tried to smile and shrug it off, putting up a façade of understanding. “It’s fine, I realize I’m not your highest priority right now.”

“That’s no excuse for me ignoring you.” Jason crossed the room and sat down on the bed next to Percy.

Gently, he put one hand in the Greek boy’s hair and leaned in, giving him plenty of time to back away. Jason’s eyes closed as their lips made contact. Percy’s lips felt like soft cotton against his, which were probably much rougher. After about ten seconds, they parted, and Jason left the room.  
What did this mean? Did Jason like him? Like, like like him? This was unbelievable, maybe good, maybe bad, but most of all unbelievable. Somehow Percy had seduced the Roman Emperor!

Okay, maybe not seduced… yet, but at least he’d gotten a kiss! Percy would be lying if he said he hadn’t been dreaming about what Jason kept under that toga, and his lips had been so delectable, and now his wish had been granted.


	3. The Senate House

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry if this chapter is a tiny bit boring, but it's a bit of a transition chapter. Next time we will definitely see some real smut and the Chariot race. Comment if you guys like it, thanks so much for reading!

### The Senate House

Sunlight poured through the open window as if it were liquid gold, illuminating everything in its path, including the part of the large bed that Percy was sleeping on. The sunlight filtered through his eyelids, forcing him to wake up.

Blinking out the sleep in his eyes, Percy sat up and looked out the window, the sun was bright, and shone over the village and azure sea he had seen just yesterday. 

Quickly, he realized just how high the sun was in the sky, indicating that he’d slept in quite late. It wasn’t as if Percy had anything to do that day, but being awake was a start to any day.

To the side of his bed, across the room and opposite from the door, on a small little oak table, there were some refreshments waiting. As usual, cheeses, fruits, honey, and fig jam were all on the stone platter that held his breakfast.

While Percy popped some grapes in his mouth, the memories of the previous night seeped back into his head, how the almost electric kiss with Jason had sent him into shock. He could almost feel Jason’s lips ghost across his now.Without noticing, Percy gave out a little gasp, surely being this obsessed wasn’t healthy, and all he had to go off of was a kiss. 

Percy hadn’t been too hungry in the first place, so after popping a few more grapes and a small slice of goat cheese adorned with some honey, Percy was content with his morning meal. As he made his way toward the door, he really did wonder what exactly he would do today. Jason had mentioned a ransom offer that came in from Corinth. That could really only mean one of two things, either his family was back in favor and wished to see him again, or the Athenians wanted their final vengeance.

The door swung open with a quick pull from Percy’s hand on the iron handle. When he walked out into the hallway, he took a minute to appreciate, once again, the sheer grandeur of the palace, which for the most part he had glossed over the previous night. 

A servant walked up to him, “Emperor Jason said he wanted to see you as soon as you woke, shall I take you to him?”

At least Jason did want to see him. Percy adjusted the toga he was wearing, it had much more fabric than the classical Greek himation he was used to. “Of course, you may take me to him now. Did he give any mention of what he wanted to see me about?” Percy questioned.

“Only that he wanted to see you whenever you woke up, but not to disturb you in his sleep, it did not sound like an urgent matter though,” The servant responded while walking down the corridor diligently. 

Well, then hopefully he wasn’t going to be returned to Greece for some cash, although anything was possible at this point. When the servant guided him outside, Percy did a double take, didn’t he need to see Jason?

“Why are we leaving the palace? I thought I needed to see the Emperor?”

“Oh, he’s at the senate house now. Court is held most days, and the Emperor has to be there unless someone sits in his stead. I didn’t realize you were unaware. Here is out carriage now in fact, it will take us to the senate house.”

The fact that Jason was still working as Emperor completely glossed over his head until now, it wasn’t like Jason’s entire world revolved around Percy, no matter how much he wanted it to.

The carriage ride was quite uneventful as usual, but when the senate house came into view, Percy grimaced as he had a flashback to the very first time he’d entered the building, and had met the Emperor. Not the best of memories to have.

Luckily, the inside of the senate seemed much more receiving of him this time. Nobles and their attachés nodded and acknowledged his presence. Percy realized it was because of the toga, he looked like a Roman in it. The senate chamber was also much different than he remembered it, not because the physical architecture had changed, but because the mood was much different.

Jason sat atop the tallest seat in the house, at the head of the room all by himself, the second chair to his left was empty. When Jason’s striking blue eyes made contact with Percy’s own, he could feel the rest of the world fading around them, and soon it was only them in the room.

Then the blonde flashed his brilliantly white smile, illuminating reality back up to its former glory. 

“Gentlemen of the Senate, please welcome our esteemed guest, Perseus!” A few members of the senate clapped enthusiastically, but none looked as excited as Jason to see Percy. “If you gentlemen will excuse me, I think we will adjourn the senate for the rest of the day. I will see you all back here tomorrow morning then.” People started filing out of the room.

Jason stepped down from his chair high above the ground. Once he was well within earshot Percy said “You didn’t have to adjourn the Roman senate for me.”

Jason smiled, “That’s just the kind of person I am.” Jason’s hand gently cupped Percy’s chin as he leaned in for another kiss.

Just like the last time it happened, this kiss felt like Nirvana, almost like electricity was coursing through Percy’s body, it was exhilarating. The kiss was by no means a make out, but it was endearing nonetheless.

“So it wasn’t just an accident last time then?” Percy asked.

Jason almost looked surprised that Percy would consider something like that. “Why would it have been an accident? Do you not feel the same way I do?” Jason’s worry lines started to show, if there was one fatal flaw this man had, it was that he worried way too much about the people he cared for.

“Of course I feel the same way, I felt this way when I first met you in fact. You just seem really passionate for only having met me two days ago,” Percy giggled.

“Well, I’m the Emperor after all, and the Emperor gets what he wants. That just happens to be you this time. Now tell me, I want to make today interesting for you. Is there anything in Rome that you would like to see?” Jason stood there waiting, with his big blue eyes eagerly pleading for an answer, he really did look like a puppy sometimes.

“Well, this is going to sound really stupid, but I’ve always wanted to see a chariot race.”

“We will have to arrange one then,” Jason smiled to himself, and then called over someone. He talked to them in Latin too fast for Percy to pick up, and he scurried off in the opposite direction.

This was the sweet life, having the Roman Emperor arrange a chariot race just because you’ve always wanted to see one. Jason kissed Percy again, this time with a little more passion, as they walked toward the front door of the Senate hall, Percy couldn’t help but think that this was going to be a fun day.

"But I have one more question to ask you," Percy said hesitantly "Are you going to accept the ransom and send me back to Greece?"

Jason turned toward him with a caring look on his face. He pulled Percy close and stared right into his eyes, "I'll never do anything you don't want me to. If you want to go back then you can, but if you don't, you can stay as long as you want."

Percy blushed. This was absolutely amazing.


End file.
